Modular battery powered handheld surgical instrument with selective application of energy based on button displacement, intensity, or local tissue characterization

Abstract

A surgical instrument comprises a controller configured to control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a low level when displacement or intensity of a button is above a first threshold but below a second threshold higher than the first threshold, and control application of RF or ultrasonic energy at a high level when the displacement or intensity exceeds the second threshold. In another aspect, a surgical instrument comprises a first sensor configured to measure a tissue characteristic at a first location, a second sensor configured to measure the tissue characteristic at a second location, and a controller configured to, based at least in part on the measured tissue characteristic at the first location and the second location, control application of RF or ultrasonic energy.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A controller usable with a surgical instrument, wherein the controller comprises:
 a circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the circuit is configured to:
 receive, at the input, a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to a displacement measurement of a button of the surgical instrument; 
 compare the displacement measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold; 
 control, at the output, a first energy output of the surgical instrument or a second energy output of the surgical instrument based on the comparison; and 
 control, at the output, the first energy output and the second energy output based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         22 . The controller of  claim 21 , wherein the circuit is configured to control, at the output, the first energy output or the second energy output based on the displacement measurement being above the first threshold and below the second threshold. 
     
     
         23 . The controller of  claim 22 , wherein the circuit is configured to control, at the output, the first energy output and the second energy output based on the displacement measurement being above the second threshold. 
     
     
         24 . The controller of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the first energy output comprises a radio frequency (RF) energy output; and   the second energy output comprises an ultrasonic energy output.   
     
     
         25 . The controller of  claim 21 , wherein the circuit comprises a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor. 
     
     
         26 . The controller of  claim 21 , wherein the circuit comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA). 
     
     
         27 . A controller usable with a surgical instrument, wherein the controller comprises:
 a circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the circuit is configured to:
 receive, at the input, a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to a displacement intensity measurement of a button of the surgical instrument; 
 compare the displacement intensity measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold; 
 control, at the output, a first energy output of the surgical instrument or a second energy output of the surgical instrument based on the comparison; and 
 control, at the output, the first energy output and the second energy output based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         28 . The controller of  claim 27 , wherein the circuit is configured to control, at the output, the first energy output or the second energy output based on the displacement intensity measurement being above the first threshold and below the second threshold. 
     
     
         29 . The controller of  claim 28 , wherein the circuit is configured to control, at the output, the first energy output and the second energy output based on the displacement intensity measurement being above the second threshold. 
     
     
         30 . The controller of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the first energy output comprises a radio frequency (RF) energy output; and   the second energy output comprises an ultrasonic energy output.   
     
     
         31 . The controller of  claim 27 , wherein the circuit comprises a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor. 
     
     
         32 . The controller of  claim 27 , wherein the circuit comprises a field programmable gate array (FPGA). 
     
     
         33 . A controller usable with a surgical instrument, wherein the controller comprises:
 a circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the circuit is configured to:
 receive, at the input, a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to a displacement measurement of a button of the surgical instrument; and 
 control, at the output, a first energy output or a second energy output as a function of the displacement measurement according to a non-linear curve, such that:
 a first change in the displacement measurement results in a first disproportional change in energy output within a first range of the non-linear curve; and 
 a second change in the displacement measurement results in a second disproportional change in energy output within a second range of the non-linear curve; 
 wherein the second change is greater than the first change; and 
 wherein the first disproportional change is greater than the second disproportional change. 
 
   
     
     
         34 . The controller of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the circuit is further configured to compare the displacement measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold;   the first range of the non-linear curve occurs above the first threshold and below the second threshold; and   the second range occurs above the second threshold.   
     
     
         35 . The controller of  claim 33 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
 compare the displacement measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold;   control the first energy output to apply first energy or the second energy output to apply second energy at a first level based on the displacement measurement being above the first threshold and below the second threshold; and   control the first energy output to apply first energy or the second energy output to apply second energy at a second level based on the displacement measurement being above the second threshold;   wherein the second level is greater than the first level.   
     
     
         36 . The controller of  claim 35 , wherein the circuit is further configured to apply zero energy at the first energy output and zero energy at the second energy output based on the displacement measurement being greater than zero and below the first threshold. 
     
     
         37 . A controller usable with a surgical instrument, wherein the controller comprises:
 a circuit comprising an input and an output, wherein the circuit is configured to:
 receive, at the input, a signal from a sensor, wherein the signal corresponds to a displacement intensity measurement of a button of the surgical instrument; and 
 control, at the output, a first energy output or a second energy output as a function of the displacement intensity measurement according to a non-linear curve, such that:
 a first change in the displacement intensity measurement results in a first disproportional change in energy output within a first range of the non-linear curve; and 
 a second change in the displacement intensity measurement results in a second disproportional change in energy output within a second range of the non-linear curve; 
 wherein the second change is greater than the first change; and 
 wherein the first disproportional change is greater than the second disproportional change. 
 
   
     
     
         38 . The controller of  claim 37 , wherein:
 the circuit is further configured to compare the displacement intensity measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold;   the first range of the non-linear curve occurs above the first threshold and below the second threshold; and   the second range occurs above the second threshold.   
     
     
         39 . The controller of  claim 37 , wherein the circuit is further configured to:
 compare the displacement intensity measurement to a first threshold and a second threshold;   control the first energy output to apply first energy or the second energy output to apply second energy at a first level based on the displacement intensity measurement being above the first threshold and below the second threshold; and   control the first energy output to apply first energy or the second energy output to apply second energy at a second level based on the displacement intensity measurement being above the second threshold;   wherein the second level is greater than the first level.   
     
     
         40 . The controller of  claim 39 , wherein the circuit is further configured to apply zero energy at the first energy output and zero energy at the second energy output based on the displacement intensity measurement being greater than zero and below the first threshold.